Self-closing cap for flexible tubes



Feb. 27, 1968 G. J. VRANCHES 3,370,763

SELF-CLOSING CAP FOR FLEXIBLE TUBES Filed June 28, 1966 INVENTOR.

George WanchQs ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,370,763 SELF-CLOSING CAP FOR FLEXIBLE TUBES George J Vranches, 478 Fairgreen Ave., Youngstown, Ohio 44504 Filed June 28, 1966, Ser. No. 561,083 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-496) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-closing cap for a flexible tube comprising an apertured body member and a closure member movable axially in said apertured body member, and a spring urging said closure member to closed position.

This invention relates to flexible tubes and more particularly to self-closing caps which may be applied thereto and which cap will open upon the contents of the tube being forced outwardly therefrom as by squeezing the tube, the cap closing upon release of squeezing pressure.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a self-closing cap for a squeeze tube or bottle enabling the user to dispense from the tube or bottle any flowable material contained therein merely by the application of pressure to the side walls of the container.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a self-closing cap that may be applied to various flexible tubes and squeeze bottles, including those made of resilient plastic material and the like.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a self-closing cap for squeeze bottles and collapsible tubes and which cap may be inexpensively and easily formed from simple molded plastic parts.

Various devices have heretofore been proposed for incorporation in caps for flexible tubes and flexible bottles and the like and such devices have usually incorporated members requiring manual manipulation or movement in order to actuate the same. The present invention discloses a cap which can be applied to a flexible tube or a squeeze bottle and which will open solely responsible to the pressure of the contents of the tube or bottle thereagainst and which will close against the contents whenever the pressure on the tube or bottle is released.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a flexible tube showing the self-closing cap applied thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section through a portion of the flexible tube and the self-closing cap.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section comparable to FIGURE 2 and showing the cap in open position.

By referring to the drawings and FIGURES l and 2 in particular, it -will be seen that a flexible tube is disclosed which has a threaded neck portion 11 having a 3,370,763 Patented Feb. 27, 1968 ice relatively wide neck opening 12. A cap consisting of a cylindrical body member 13 having an opening 14 at its uppermost end and a depending inwardly threaded collar 15 on its lower end is threadably positioned on the neck 11 of the tube 10 and registers with the neck opening 12 of the tube. The cap includes an upstanding applicator tip 16 extending above the opening 14 in the upper end of the cap body 13 and a circular plug 17 having a depending stem 18 thereon is positioned in the opening 14 and is movable vertically relative thereto as may be seen from a comparison of FIGURES 2 and 4 of the drawings where the plug 17 is shown in closed position as in FIGURE 2 and in open position as in FIGURE 4.

The depending stem 18 has a sidewardly extending arm 20 near its lowermost end and a downwardly depending plate 21 extending therebelow. A coil spring 22 is caged between the arm 20 and a recess formed in the cap body 13 and partially separated from the passageway which extends vertically therethrough as defined by the cylindrical body 13 of the cap.

It will be observed by referring to FIGURE 3 of the drawings that the depending stem 18 is rectangular in cross section and that it, therefore, eliectively closes the recess in the cap body in which the coil spring 22 is located when it is in lower position as seen in FIGURE 2 of the drawings and when it is moved to upper or open position by the pressure of the contents of the tube thereagainst as hereinafter explained, the plate 21 then continues the closing effect by moving across the lower portion of the communicating area of the recess in which the spring 22 is positioned.

The cap is assembled from separately molded plastic parts, the circular plug 17 and depending stem 18 with its arm 20 and plate 21 being moved downwardly into the circular body 13 through the opening 14 in the upper end of the cap and distorted sufliciently to permit the arm 20 to move into registry beneath the coil spring which is first positioned in the recess in the cap as hereinbefore described. In assembly as shown the parts are self retaining and the material in the tube 10 or squeeze bo'.tle which may be substituted therefor is thus held in the tube or the bottle by the closure effected by the plug 17. At such time as the tube 10 or bottle is squeezed the contents under pressure move upwardly against the bottom of the depending stem 18 which has an arcuate flange thereon as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings and move the same and the plug 17 upwardly, compressing the spring 22. The contents will then flow out of the opening 14 as long as the pressure is maintained. At such time as the contents of the tube or bottle are in the passageway comprising a continuation of the neck opening 12 they cannot flow into the recess which normally holds the spring 22 because of the presence of the plate 21 which is a downward extension of the stem 18 of the plug 17 heretofore described. At such time as the pressure is released the spring 22 pushes the stem 18 and the plug 17 downwardly and again closes the opening 14 in the cap. The self-closing cap for flexible tubes disclosed herein thus meets the several objects of the invention and having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A self-closing cap for flexible containers and comprising a cylindrical body member having an opening in one end and a depending flange on the other end and a passageway therebetween, said depending flange adapted to be secured to said container, a closure element normally disposed in said opening, a depending member secured to said closure element and extending downwardly through said passageway, a recess formed in said cylindrical body member and communicating with the passageway therethrough, a coil spring disposed in said recess, an arm on said depending member engaging one end of said coil spring, said coil spring normally urging said closure element into closed position in said opening, said depending member slidably engaging said passageway and overlying said recess so as to form a secondary closure with respect thereto. I

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Thompson 222496 Lateur 222-497 X Johnsen 222-496 Wils0n 222496 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

10 F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner. 

